Shakur’s First Big Test

By James Blears

Brilliant Shakur Stevenson is going for a title in a third weight division, when he fights Edwin De Los Santos for the vacant WBC lightweight title at the T Mobile Arena on November 16^th.

The fight takes pole position, just two days before Formula One debuts on the Las Vegas strip and Shakur aims to be in the driver’s seat all the way, to take the chequered flag. But this particular bout isn’t destined to be a routine pit stop. He’ll need to perform very effectively to top or drop Edwin into a lap ringside.

Edwin (16-1, 14 KO’S) aged twenty-four from the Dominican Republic who is also a southpaw is a powerful puncher and determined to make his mark, in his first tilt at a world title. Nicknamed “La Granada” Edwin is a natural lightweight and robustly built. He’s five feet eight inches tall with a reach of 70 inches. He’s a very aggressive come forward fighter, who likes to apply pressure and volume punch from the opening bell.

Edwin made his debut on July 25^th 2018. His only loss was a split decision in an eight rounder against William Foster 111. Since then, he’s stopped hitherto undefeated Jose Valenzuela who was the WBC Continental of the Americas champion. Edwin got careless in round one. He was applying intense pressure, letting his heavy hands go, when he got caught with a counter left hook and down he went. He got back up annoyed at his carelessness, rather than really hurt, staggered Jose and then put him down with a right hook.

Making further amends he again dropped Jose in round three and then unloaded a flurry of punches, obliging the Referee to step in and stop the onslaught and the fight with it.

Next up was Joseph Adoro in July. Edwin convincingly defeated him via UD. Edwin has an 87.5 percent KO record. That’s impressive, but he’s never fought an opponent of Shakur’s ring quality IQ. Shakur was going to fight undefeated Frank Martin for this title, but negotiations stalled and Edwin was more than happy to capitalize upon this opportunity of a career and lifetime.

Shakur aged twenty six, is a sublime ringmaster, who can hold center stage and crack the whip when necessary. He is five feet seven inches tall, with a reach of sixty eight inches. His defensive stills are a treat to behold. He can slip, dip, duck, parry and out manoeuvre the best of them. Shakur started boxing aged five influenced by his grandfather Wali Moses and his hero is Andre Ward, who was also blessed with God given skills.

Shakur won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and wasted no time turning pro on April 22^nd 2017. His defensive skills are different to the superb Floyd Mayweather, but extraordinary in their own unique way. He doesn’t employ the shoulder roll so much. Rather he slips clusters of punches and counters effectively utilizing his lightning reflexes. He’s so relaxed and in command in the ring and he’s a quick thinker.

He often paws with his right jab, using it as a range- finder. But he can turn it on a sixpence or a dime into a shortened hook at a moment’s notice. Shakur likes to use the momentum of his opponents against them. He’s as good going backwards and milling on the retreat as moving forward on the attack. This is what makes him so effective.

Shakur pivots as he parries and uses brilliant footwork. So much so, that he’s just signed a sponsorship deal with Reebok. He’ll be wearing some fancy boxing boots come fight night! However, he’s not a chilling master blaster. His record is 20-0, 10 KO’s. A fifty percent KO ratio. That said, he’s already been in with some classy company.

Shakur has accomplished everything asked of him with aplomb. In 2019, he defeated Joet Gonzalez to win a version of the featherweight title. Then he moved up to super feather, to wear down and wear out Jamel Herring to win his second world title. The bout was stopped in the tenth as Shakur was hitting Jamel at will, with clusters of punches from all angles, so much so that it seemed that he was surrounded.

He then added the WBC belt by defeating hard hitting Oscar Valdez via a comprehensive UD. Shakur had outgrown the category, failing to make the weight for his next fight, which was against Robson Conceicao. He was 1.6 pounds too heavy, so the titles were shed. However, he comfortably won the fight by UD. And then in his debut as a lightweight, he won via TKO in round six against Japan’s brave but outclassed Shuichiro Yoshino, this April in a homecoming, in front of his hometown fans in Newark.

The WBC lightweight title was vacated by undisputed champion Devin Haney, who’s champion in recess. Devin is moving up to fight Regis Prograis for the WBC super lightweight title on December 9^th in San Francisco. What a treat it would be to one day, in the non- too distant future, to see Shakur Vs Devin. Both are so naturally gifted boxers with skillset levels off the charts. For now, both are focusing and concentrating on their respective opponents, who deserve due respect and undivided attention.

Edwin De Los Santos must force the pace early against Shakur Stevenson, who isn’t the fastest starter. Shakur prefers to fight at a medium, unhurried, unharried, rather than a sedate pace. Edwin’s task is to try and put him under severe pressure from the outset. Much easier said than done. But Edwin has the artillery to do this. Shakur is very difficult to catch cleanly upstairs, so Edwin will have to go to the body.

Shakur has fought at an appreciably higher level of opponents than Edwin and is on the Pound for Pound List. He will ruthlessly exploit and instantly punish any mistakes of the Dominican fighter, who will be pressing forward in attack mode. Yet, this won’t be plain sailing for Shakur. Edwin isn’t the favorite and it would take the performance of a lifetime to win. But, he’s coming to give it his absolute all.

Shakur dips into his tool bag for a variety of punches, which are precise, beautifully aimed, wonderfully timed plus superbly executed. Edwin will try to put him under the cosh. The key to this fight is how Shakur will deal with the onslaught and how he’ll use his ring generalship to countermand and counteract it. Shakur’s great gift is how he can adapt to and deftly exploit any style of boxing.

This is the perfect opportunity to test and deploy it, against a dangerous and utterly determined opponent.